A client had been suffering from headaches and blurred vision for several months before she decided to visit an eye doctor in Oshkosh, WI for relief. After having nearly perfect vision most of her life, she couldn’t understand why she was suddenly struggling with her eyesight.

It turns out that she had recently accepted an administrative position, which meant that she was spending her eight-hour workday staring at a computer screen. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for this change in her routine to start affecting her eyes.

What causes digital eyestrain?

Digital eyestrain is irritation and discomfort caused by prolonged exposure to digital devices, particularly in an age where we use these devices for work, recreation and entertainment. Computer screens, smartphones and even TVs can cause a strain on our eyes in several ways:

Small print

Improper angles

Blue light

Pixilated images

Glare

What are symptoms of digital eyestrain?

While digital eyestrain symptoms may vary, most people experience a combination of the following symptoms:

Watery or dry eyes

Blurred or double vision

Headache

Sore neck, shoulders and/or back

Difficulty concentrating

Light sensitivity

Sore, tired, burning eyes

Left unchecked, digital eyestrain can cause permanent damage and vision loss, so it’s important to address the issue as soon as you experience any of the above symptoms.

What can you do to relieve digital eyestrain?

While digital eyestrain can lead to serious problems, finding relief from your symptoms is often fairly simple. Below are a few ways you can help reduce the effect digital viewing has on your eyes:

Reduce glare: You can adjust the brightness of your screen and change your background color from bright white to a cool gray, which will help you reduce screen glare.

Dim the lights: Reduce the amount of light competing with your device’s screen by dimming the lights in the room. This will help reduce glare and the strain on your eyes.

Increase text size: Small text on a digital device can cause a strain on your eyes. Increasing the text size can help prevent this.

Adjust screen distance: Regardless of whether you are using a smartphone, laptop or desktop, the screen should be directly in front of your face and adjusted to be slightly below eye level.

Use computer glasses: Whether or not you need prescription lenses, you can still wear computer glasses. These glasses are designed to protect your eyes from the harmful blue light coming from your digital screen.

If you are experiencing symptoms of digital eyestrain, come visit us at Dr. Jill’s Optical Shoppe. An eye doctor in Oshkosh, WI can help determine if your symptoms are caused by digital eyestrain and help find a solution to offer you relief. To schedule an appointment, please give us a call today!